California schools have "lost their way," U.S. ed chief says

[DEDixon 39]

What the DEMS have done to California schools.............

(05-22) 14:30 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A handful of states will soon be chosen to take part an intense, $5 billion experiment to improve schools that the federal government is calling "Race to the Top" - but California will be lucky if it gets to participate, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said today during a visit to San Francisco.

"Honestly, California has lost its way," Duncan told dozens of the state's mayors and education officials who packed into San Francisco City Hall. "The long-term consequences of that are troubling."

Duncan said the few states that win the competition for the new education money will have to show they are innovative, and that their creative efforts succeed in helping low-performing students reach grade level and earn high school diplomas.

He said California's fiscal crisis - in which schools are being forced to cut programs and lay off teachers - means the state has a long way to go before it is regarded as a state that can show others how to make public education shine.

"I have huge hopes for what California can do," he said. "I'd love to have California at the table, but California has things it needs to change."

The Race to the Top money - to be awarded next fall and spring - is part of the $100 billion for education in the federal stimulus package.

Duncan said the reforms he has in mind would transform schools into centers for community life, and would lengthen the school day so that students could take classes for longer than the typical six hours.

By contrast, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to cut short the school year by seven and a half days to help close the state's $21.3 billion budget gap.

San Francisco Superintendent Carlos Garcia, who attended the meeting, minced no words in an aside to a reporter: "Our entire state's going down the tubes."

He had asked Duncan whether good school districts - say, San Francisco, for example - might be able to win a piece of the $5 billion pie even if their state does not.

No, they can't, Duncan responded.

Garcia's deputy superintendent Tony Smith - who just learned that he will become Oakland's new superintendent on July 1 - said he was energized by the education secretary's efforts to inspire new ways of thinking about schools.

"It's about courage," Smith said. "And Oakland will be an opportunity. I'm excited to come in and nurture things there that are good."

At the same time, he said, everything's on the table-including closing schools- in considering how to help Oakland's students, who are among the lowest-performing in the state. "But you don't close a school without a better option," he added.

In wide-ranging remarks to the mayors and educators, Duncan also said he favors paying more money to excellent teachers - a bone of contention with teachers' unions - and getting better data on which specific teachers are succeeding or failing with students.

[Ban Hammer 13,877]

more like a race to the bottom.

[NickD 203]

One place not to be is anywhere near the teachers parking lot one minute before the bell rings or worse, one minute after, you will get ran over.

What good will "Schwarzenegger proposing to cut short the school year by seven and a half days" do? Nothing, teachers get paid the same either way, should do a 20% across the board paycut and give high deductible health insurance like everyone else has with retirement at 65 years of age. Schools in this country have gone to hell in the last 30 years, and property tax rates have skyrocketed. If you really like to talk to people totally out of touch with reality, go to a school meeting or deal with the administration, in particular, the administration.

Sure you meet one or two good teachers yet, but an exception, rather than the rule, look at schools as being a baby sitting service more than anything today. And a poor one at that, your kids pick up more nasty things from their peers than good things from there teachers.

There is a solution of course, more money! More money, my butt, what they really need is a good old fashion kick in the butt. We had decent schools once, but really disgusted with the way they have become.

[SuperDuper! 230]

more like a race to the bottom.

Years ago, some CA teachers took a trip to Cuba to see why the schools are so good there....

[DEDixon 39]

I'm very saddened by what the dems have done to California schools.... very sad for all the parents of California's children who have no other choice but to send their kids to classrooms half full of children who are illegally in this country, can't speak English and so they slow down the pace of learning to a snail's pace. Even when the kid does know some English, their non English speaking parents can't assist them at home in anyway, can't offer any leadership in their child's education for many reasons. All the while, the English speakers who are legally in this country sit idle in the classroom while the teachers focus on these kids that need more attention.

Of course, this isn't California school's only issue, but just one of the major issues.

[Peikko 1,575]

More partisan bullshit. The Dems are not responsible for every ###### pile. Responsibility lies in many areas, not least those who want to pay very little to get as much as they can.

[DEDixon 39]

More partisan bullshit. The Dems are not responsible for every ###### pile. Responsibility lies in many areas, not least those who want to pay very little to get as much as they can.

So that's the defense? Partisan BS? Nothing substantial about that defense.

I don't know how they can't be responsible (blamed), they run the state. How can the party that overwhelmingly rules California and has maintained a majority, an overwhelming majority, for decades escape blame? Why and how can't the leadership be responsible? Maybe a better question is how can the repubs accept responsibility (blame)? In California, all they can do is block tax increases basically..... everything else is simple majority so whatever the dems want, they get. If they wanted good school, they could easily do it. Of course, some major policy changes would have to take place, because more money isn't the answer.

[DEDixon 39]

Kids who transfer into California schools from certain other states are advanced 2 grades so they don't become bored.

[Heracles 417]

More partisan bullshit. The Dems are not responsible for every ###### pile. Responsibility lies in many areas, not least those who want to pay very little to get as much as they can.

like illegal aliens..

[Danno 1,228]

IS there something new here?,,,, we have tried throwing money at the problem time and time again.

Read the story... it is no more than a plan to bring up scores for the worst students.

It's another Billion dollar spending spree aimed at the lowest academic demographics.

They act as though they are searching the country for the "secret teaching method" which will revolutionize EDUCATION because, after all it has been so long since anyone recalls what successful schools look like, it's a "lost art"

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

More partisan bullshit. The Dems are not responsible for every ###### pile. Responsibility lies in many areas, not least those who want to pay very little to get as much as they can.

10 BILLION a year for the nipple suckers! WAKE THE ** UP!

[natty bumppo 297]

More partisan bullshit. The Dems are not responsible for every ###### pile. Responsibility lies in many areas, not least those who want to pay very little to get as much as they can.

10 BILLION a year for the nipple suckers! WAKE THE ** UP!

why ... when the babies can rely on mommy and daddy?

[DEDixon 39]

Strapped schools are cutting down to the bone

(05-25) 20:02 PDT -- The kids at Stonebrae Elementary School in Hayward handed in their musical instruments Friday - and may never get them back.

For some, the simple act of saying farewell to a flute or a violin is a metaphor for the precarious future of public education in the state.

"It's musical instruments, it's physical education, it's vocational education, students learning the English language - there's such a wide array of programs being slashed," said Robin Swanson, spokeswoman for the Education Coalition of teachers and other educators around the state. "These programs being cut are emblematic of our students being robbed of a quality education - all the things that give them promise."

State schools chief Jack O'Connell said Thursday that the state's fiscal crisis threatens the quality of education up and down the state - especially for students struggling academically.

"The governor's proposing massive budget cuts to public education," he said. "There will be fewer school counselors, fewer nurses. School leaders will just try to keep the lights on."

California faces a $21.3 billion budget gap for the fiscal year beginning July 1, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing $5.3 billion in additional cuts to schools and community colleges.

Like many districts where extracurricular programs are threatened, Hayward Unified is considering eliminating instrumental music from grades four, five and six.

"In my opinion, it would be a cop-out," said Jason Currier, whose twin 10-year-old daughters play the clarinet and violin at Stonebrae. "Being able to play an instrument is a great expression for them, and they have friends in the band.

"If they don't have it in school, I'll send them to private lessons," said Currier, a utility worker with four children. "I really can't afford it, but it's a sacrifice I'd make."

Situation worsening

School officials across California have spent months trying to shrink their budgets as the budget mess has worsened. And many have, at least temporarily, shielded classrooms from the worst of it by keeping vacant positions vacant, delaying projects and shifting funds from here to there instead of cutting programs.

That's changing.

Voters last Tuesday turned down the ballot measures that Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers said would have closed about $6 billion of the budget problem. Now, the governor wants to reduce education spending by nearly $1,000 per pupil: from $8,503 last year to $7,527 this year, the governor's office said. Under his proposal, spending would rise again to $8,356 per pupil next year - just under what it was in the 2007-08 school year.

Around the Bay Area, school districts including Hayward, Fremont, Mount Diablo, Pleasanton and Berkeley are considering such drastic measures as larger classes; layoffs of teachers, librarians and counselors; cutting arts programs and sports; ending summer programs; reducing transportation; and much more.

Clubs and extracurricular activities also face elimination or the threat of it, even though those are what make school palatable and even exciting to many students.

More than 4,000 students won't have high school sports in the Mount Diablo School District next year unless they manage to come up with $1 million on their own.

"It's like getting belly-punched," said Pat Middendorf, who's about to lose her job as athletic director at Clayton Valley High, where 758 athletes play softball, basketball, football and other sports.

"I can't imagine not being able to practice and play," said Victoria Kobold, a 16-year-old sophomore on Clayton Valley High's varsity softball and soccer teams. "When I heard, I couldn't grasp the idea of not having sports after school every day.

"It's really important for college," Victoria added. "Sports keeps colleges looking at you."

Sports on the line

It appears that no other Bay Area district has killed its sports program - yet. Even the East Side Union High School District in San Jose, where Superintendent Bob Nuñez created an uproar recently by proposing to cut sports, voted Thursday night to direct Nuñez to figure out how to pay for the $2 million program.

How will he do it?

"To be honest with you, I don't know," said Associate Superintendent Alan Garofalo. "If it means looking at people's contracts and salaries, so be it. People are going to have to make some sacrifice."

Some districts, including Fremont Unified, have cut back on stipends for athletic coaches. That's also being considered in other districts, like Pleasanton Unified.

Meanwhile, voters in Mount Diablo Unified turned down a parcel-tax measure last Tuesday that would have brought in more than $7 million per year - and might have saved sports and other items on the district's $13.5 million chopping block.

Libraries in danger

Failure of that measure means district officials may go ahead with plans to lay off about half of the district's 16 middle and high school librarians, said Nancy Brenner, the librarian at Sequoia Middle School in Pleasant Hill. She said the remaining librarians would have to split their time among two or three schools instead of staying in one place.

Brenner has enough seniority to keep her job. But she said the change would mean the end of Sequoia's after-school Library Club, Culture Club, Poetry Slam Group, Parent/Child Book Club and Lunchtime Book Club. She runs them all.

"I'm depressed. I'm really saddened by just how much we are compromising the students' education," Brenner said. "What we're doing is really a crime."

Selena Hernandez, 12, agrees. The sixth-grader loves the library and is a member of Brenner's Library Club.

"At the beginning of the year I had no idea how the library worked, so I asked Ms. Brenner," Selena said. "She told me how to find the books. The librarian is the center of the library itself."

"We are watching the events in Sacramento closely," said Nancy Waymack, a policy director with the city schools.

Other places to cut

In Berkeley, where the district is cutting three counselors, three custodians and two bus drivers among other positions, administrators are protecting extra-curricular activities but scaling way back on adult education.

San Francisco is better off than most. School district administrators say their programs are largely protected by a multimillion-dollar contribution from the city's "rainy day" fund, a voter-approved reserve.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...;type=printable

***************

I see English mentioned once in the article, but the rest was after school stuff and sports stuff and some library stuff.

[Danno 1,228]

Strapped schools are cutting down to the bone

(05-25) 20:02 PDT -- The kids at Stonebrae Elementary School in Hayward handed in their musical instruments Friday - and may never get them back.

For some, the simple act of saying farewell to a flute or a violin is a metaphor for the precarious future of public education in the state.

"It's musical instruments, it's physical education, it's vocational education, students learning the English language - there's such a wide array of programs being slashed," said Robin Swanson, spokeswoman for the Education Coalition of teachers and other educators around the state. "These programs being cut are emblematic of our students being robbed of a quality education - all the things that give them promise."

State schools chief Jack O'Connell said Thursday that the state's fiscal crisis threatens the quality of education up and down the state - especially for students struggling academically.

"The governor's proposing massive budget cuts to public education," he said. "There will be fewer school counselors, fewer nurses. School leaders will just try to keep the lights on."

California faces a $21.3 billion budget gap for the fiscal year beginning July 1, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing $5.3 billion in additional cuts to schools and community colleges.

Like many districts where extracurricular programs are threatened, Hayward Unified is considering eliminating instrumental music from grades four, five and six.

"In my opinion, it would be a cop-out," said Jason Currier, whose twin 10-year-old daughters play the clarinet and violin at Stonebrae. "Being able to play an instrument is a great expression for them, and they have friends in the band.

"If they don't have it in school, I'll send them to private lessons," said Currier, a utility worker with four children. "I really can't afford it, but it's a sacrifice I'd make."

Situation worsening

School officials across California have spent months trying to shrink their budgets as the budget mess has worsened. And many have, at least temporarily, shielded classrooms from the worst of it by keeping vacant positions vacant, delaying projects and shifting funds from here to there instead of cutting programs.

That's changing.

Voters last Tuesday turned down the ballot measures that Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers said would have closed about $6 billion of the budget problem. Now, the governor wants to reduce education spending by nearly $1,000 per pupil: from $8,503 last year to $7,527 this year, the governor's office said. Under his proposal, spending would rise again to $8,356 per pupil next year - just under what it was in the 2007-08 school year.

Around the Bay Area, school districts including Hayward, Fremont, Mount Diablo, Pleasanton and Berkeley are considering such drastic measures as larger classes; layoffs of teachers, librarians and counselors; cutting arts programs and sports; ending summer programs; reducing transportation; and much more.

Clubs and extracurricular activities also face elimination or the threat of it, even though those are what make school palatable and even exciting to many students.

More than 4,000 students won't have high school sports in the Mount Diablo School District next year unless they manage to come up with $1 million on their own.

"It's like getting belly-punched," said Pat Middendorf, who's about to lose her job as athletic director at Clayton Valley High, where 758 athletes play softball, basketball, football and other sports.

"I can't imagine not being able to practice and play," said Victoria Kobold, a 16-year-old sophomore on Clayton Valley High's varsity softball and soccer teams. "When I heard, I couldn't grasp the idea of not having sports after school every day.

"It's really important for college," Victoria added. "Sports keeps colleges looking at you."

Sports on the line

It appears that no other Bay Area district has killed its sports program - yet. Even the East Side Union High School District in San Jose, where Superintendent Bob Nuñez created an uproar recently by proposing to cut sports, voted Thursday night to direct Nuñez to figure out how to pay for the $2 million program.

How will he do it?

"To be honest with you, I don't know," said Associate Superintendent Alan Garofalo. "If it means looking at people's contracts and salaries, so be it. People are going to have to make some sacrifice."

Some districts, including Fremont Unified, have cut back on stipends for athletic coaches. That's also being considered in other districts, like Pleasanton Unified.

Meanwhile, voters in Mount Diablo Unified turned down a parcel-tax measure last Tuesday that would have brought in more than $7 million per year - and might have saved sports and other items on the district's $13.5 million chopping block.

Libraries in danger

Failure of that measure means district officials may go ahead with plans to lay off about half of the district's 16 middle and high school librarians, said Nancy Brenner, the librarian at Sequoia Middle School in Pleasant Hill. She said the remaining librarians would have to split their time among two or three schools instead of staying in one place.

Brenner has enough seniority to keep her job. But she said the change would mean the end of Sequoia's after-school Library Club, Culture Club, Poetry Slam Group, Parent/Child Book Club and Lunchtime Book Club. She runs them all.

"I'm depressed. I'm really saddened by just how much we are compromising the students' education," Brenner said. "What we're doing is really a crime."

Selena Hernandez, 12, agrees. The sixth-grader loves the library and is a member of Brenner's Library Club.

"At the beginning of the year I had no idea how the library worked, so I asked Ms. Brenner," Selena said. "She told me how to find the books. The librarian is the center of the library itself."

"We are watching the events in Sacramento closely," said Nancy Waymack, a policy director with the city schools.

Other places to cut

In Berkeley, where the district is cutting three counselors, three custodians and two bus drivers among other positions, administrators are protecting extra-curricular activities but scaling way back on adult education.

San Francisco is better off than most. School district administrators say their programs are largely protected by a multimillion-dollar contribution from the city's "rainy day" fund, a voter-approved reserve.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...;type=printable

***************

I see English mentioned once in the article, but the rest was after school stuff and sports stuff and some library stuff.

Why so few administrators getting the ax? I bet if you check you will find the -teacher to admin ratio- has doubled maybe tripled administration positions in the last 25 years.

They teach citizens "a lesson" .. not by cutting the fat, but by cutting legit positions.

Then later you will agree to another bond to rehire more needed teachers and the school system is back to it's bloated state...

neat trick huh?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wasn't this kind of predictable though - noone wants to raise taxes to meet the budget shortfall, so the obvious thing that would happen is that budgets are slashed. Education being one of the first targets (it always is).

Too many people want to have their cake and eat it, while burying their head in the sand about the reality of things and the hard choices that need to be made.